Review of Amtrak's National Cafe Menu Items February 27, 2020 I had the opportunity to try a few items from the Amtrak National Cafe menu. On the whole, the food was decent although rather overpriced. Items sampled were: Southwest Garden Salad, Angus Cheeseburger, Pepperoni/Cheese/Cracker tray, Marshmallow treat. Southwest Garden Salad $9 ------------------------- This salad was about 2 cups packaged in a plastic bowl with tight fitting lid. A 2 tablespoon tub of balsamic vinegrette dressing is packed in the center. The salad consists of lettuces, kale, corn, black beans, red bell pepper, red onion, quinoa, and tomato. The vegetables were all fresh and the quinoa well cooked. I didn't eat the dressing. There is no headroom in the container so the first several bites result in spilling some contents. Overall, the salad was very satisfying. However, the price is very high for what is provided. With no meat protein I would expect to pay about $5 for a similar portion and contents at a convenience store or quick service restaurant. Angus Cheeseburger $7.25 --------------------- The cheeseburger is large, probably 8oz on a bun. The sandwich is heated in a microwave when ordered. The meat was decent with good flavor and not tough or dry despite the microwave. The cheese was nothing special, a bit runny. The bun was not good. The bread became tough and chewy either due to refrigeration, microwaving, or both. Despite this my daughter ate more than 75% of the sandwich. This was a bit high in price compared to a comprable McDonald's burger at $4-5. Pepperoni, Cheese, and Cracker tray $5.50 -------------------------------------- This included 4 crackers, about 2 ounces of cubed cheddar, and 1 ounce of pepperoni. The cheese and pepperoni were both ok. I didn't try the crackers but they appeared to be typical crackers received with soup or salad at a restaurant. The quality was good but the price is far too high. Marshmallow Treat $3.25 ----------------------- The Marshmallow Treat is a large crisped rice, butter, marshmallow, and sugar bar. It was perfectly soft, super sweet, and delicious! The price is a bit high. My daughter and I shared one and were pleased with it. Overall, the food quality was ok but the prices are far too high. I appreciate the risk from spoilage, especially on the fresh items and the captive-audience effects. I hope that Amtrak finds ways to improve value of their cafe food in the future. Comments to Tom Canich <tom@canich.net>